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Torah Portion -
Vaeschanan
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Written by yehuda katz
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VE'ETCHANAN
" Let me now cross and see the good land.. (3:25)
Moshe is pleading with Hashem to allow him to cross over the Jordan River and be able to go into The Land of Israel. However, a question can be asked concerning Mosha's request from verse (3:25). Why does Moshe have to say the "good" land, it seems to be superfulous? What is Mosha actually praying for ,as hinted to ,from the adjective "good"?
I would like to propose an original answer, Bezrat Hashem, as follows:
A person should never underestimate the tremendous power that evil gossip can have on another person. When the spies returned with an evil report concerning the Land of Israel,its impact was very detrimental. Moshe was essentially praying to rid himself of the spies evil influence. He, therefore, prayed to be able to see the "good" in the land of Israel. Moshe understood too well the power of evil gossip that he himself needed to pray for help in this regard. We can, Bezrat Hashem
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Torah Portion -
Vaeschanan
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Written by Daniel Sandground
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Parashas Vaeschanan – The Power of Prayer
This week we have Parashas Vaeschanan which continues with the theme started at the beginning of the book of Devarim with Moshe giving over the Torah to the nation with reminders from their years in the desert and a review of the laws which would be most relevant for Israel's new life in Eretz Yisrael. We are overwhelmed this week with Moshe giving over prophecies on Israel's exile and return to the Land, the cities of refuge being re-outlined and of course the Ten Commandments and the Shema all given over in an action-packed sedra. There is therefore lots to discuss!
Following on from the recollection of the conquering of the mighty Sihon and Og in last week's sedra, Moshe recollects to the nation how he prayed to Hashem to let him... “cross and see the good Land that is on the other side of the Jordan...” [3:25]. It is brought down by Rashi that, now that he had conquered Sihon and Og
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Torah Portion -
Vaeschanan
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Written by d fine
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The pasuk (6:5) commands that you shall love HaShem with all your hearts (be’chol levavcha), which Rashi reveals refers to loving HaShem with both your inclinations; the yester hatov and the yetzer hara. How can one possibly use the yetzer hara - that force which attempts to hijack one’s spirituality and pull one away from HaShem - for good?
In Alei Shur (page 35), Rav Wolbe quotes Rav Tzaddok HaKohen who writes that the area with which the yetzer hara tests/entices a person is that same area where we have the greatest potential for growth in serving HaShem. For example, one might have a big yetzer hara test to say brachos really quickly and get on to eating the food - here Rav Tzaddok is telling us that since the yetzer hara is attacking your area of brachos, it must be that you have great potential to say brachos properly and with the correct intentions and mindset. It is much like war; the enemy will focus their attentions on attacking the area most potent and useful to the other side. So too will the yetzer hara attack each person’s individual strength and area of growth - and this area will be different for each individual for each person has their own unique strengths. Rav Wolbe comments on this that we learn from here that one is not to merely ignore one’s yetzer hara, but to confront it and realise one’s area of greatest potential. Thus, this is one way we can use our yetzer haras for the positive - by noticing which area they attack and thus using it to identify our strongest area of growth.
Alternatively, one can use the yetzer hara to fuel one’s performance of mitzvos. For example, if you are competitive by nature then use this to become better at learning Torah than the next person. Or, if you are stingy then use this to motivate you to daven well; commit to give a certain sum of money to charity for every Shmoneh Esrei you daydream through. Each bad middah can be turned round to spur on and promote the development of a positive middah or mitzvos.
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Torah Portion -
Vaeschanan
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Written by d fine
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Va’eschanan contains, amongst other treasures, the first paragraph of the Shema. In it (6:6) we are commanded that ‘these words that I command you shall be on your hearts’ (al levavecha); a phrase on which the Sfas Emes asks a cracker of a question and volleys back a classic answer. Why does Moshe tell us that these words should reside on our hearts - surely the more appropriate home for them should be in our hearts, representing our having fully internalised and worked upon these words and concepts. How are we to understand this command of on your hearts? The Sfas Emes answers that for sure the best place for these crucial words is in our hearts, for the reasons outlined above. But Moshe is telling us that if we are not on the level that these words can make it into our hearts and really become part of us, then at least they should remain floating and hovering above our hearts as opposed to being rejected and repelled completely. That way when the time comes that we can find room for these words and concepts in our heart, they will simply seep in naturally; for they have always been there or thereabouts waiting to come into our hearts.
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Torah Portion -
Vaeschanan
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Written by Administrator
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